Rae should've known her luck was too good to last.

It started the very next day, right after getting off the transit, where a large group of students huddled around something on the field. They whispered excitedly and ran off to tell their friends about it like ants on a sandwich. Rae tried to go up to them, but all she could see was the back of Steward Pence's head.

She was late anyways, so she never did get a look at what the students were so excited about. But based on the whispers that followed her down the hallways, most of which went something like, "You be seeing the car?", "Yes, it be a real car!" and, "I swear! It be parked right outside the field!", she could guess pretty easily.

Plus, even Mrs. Terracotta, who was a pretty laid back teacher, seemed uptight and nervous, and kept staring out the window and sending unnecessary reminders to 'keep your eyes on the screen, now...' to students in the front row. Worst of all, Rae couldn't talk to Asha about any of this, as she hadn't seen her (or Martin and Sophie, for that matter) since getting off the transport. Rae attempted to text her, but Mrs. Terracotta had started pacing near the back of the classroom halfway through the period, and Rae didn't want to get caught twice.

So when Asha crashed into her at her locker, Rae wasn't feeling the best. One look at Asha, however, changed that. For a usually cool, composed person, Asha looked like a train-wreck. Her hair was coming out of its braids from running and sweat shone on her forehead. Her eyes were wide as if she'd seen a ghost.

"Givemethebooks!" She said in a breath, clutching a stitch around her stomach.

"What? No!" Rae whispered, glancing at crowded hallway around her. "Asha, where have you been all morning?"

"I be... spying... on the car... outside. Now give me... the books...!"

"Asha." Rae pulled her aside, away from the confused looks other students were giving them. "Don't tell me you be missing class." It was a rare occurrence when Rae found herself playing the role of the responsible adult, and she was almost surprised with herself.

"It not be matter! Trust me... you have to... hurry!"

"Look, I know you want to promote them, but we can't go around waving the books in the—"

"— THIS NOT BE ABOUT YOUR LIBRARY!", Asha raised her voice, catching the eye of a boy younger than them. He looked the other way when Asha glared at him. "Look, I be seeing guards.... government officials come out of that car. They're going to be checking you."

Rae felt the floor swing beneath her. She clutched at the lockers for balance and tried to think of a loophole. "You be sure... you be sure they be here for me?"

"I heard them talking. We be caught, Rae, someone be telling!"

"It be— it was Mrs. Terracotta." Rae pressed a palm to her forehead, realizing she had known all along, "She heard us that other day, and she seemed... anxious in class. Kept looking out the window."

"It doesn't matter! They be coming right—" Asha looked up and her mouth dropped. Without any warning, she grabbed Rae's bag, pulled out all the books, pushed them up against her chest, and ducked into the stream of students.

Rae gulped and looked up to see what Asha had noticed before— guards. A group of about 4 city guards, armed in that sleek black armour that only proved that they were from the government. They were followed by a man wearing a fancy white suit. He looked old, with very narrow face and sunken cheekbones. His grey hair was pulled back in a long ponytail that sashayed as he walked. As he came closer, Rae could notice the menacing look in his watery eyes and the small, dead flower in his pocket, right over his heart: the sign of the government officials. She noticed how all the guards followed his footsteps perfectly, and kept a hand over the guns by their belts and realized she had met the man in the white suit before.

It was a long time ago— she thought— but he had come to inspect her father's warehouse and had called it insufficient for safety reasons. It had cost him hundreds of dollars to fix and nearly lost his job.

She now looked over his shoulder and could barely make out Asha, shoving the books into her locker. Rae turned around and hid her face in her own locker, hoping the group would pass by her. And they almost did, the old man was already peering his beady eyes at another student, but then Rae heard a click from one of the guards.

She turned around, scared that there was a gun pointed at her, but it was only the guard fixing his belt. She tried to turn around again, but the damage was done. The guard had seen her, and he put a firm grip on her shoulder, forcing her to show her face.

"Sir! I think we be having found her!" His voice was gruff, and strong. 'Sir' walked over, grinning and making ripples across his papery skin.

"This be the girl?" The guard pushed her forward, as if for inspection, and Rae had never felt more scared in her life.

"Ah yes." The man lowered himself until his beady eyes were staring right into her hers. His breath smelled like raw onions. He dug his nail into her chin and she flinched away. "Young Rae Casey. Yes, she be having the... hair, and the blue eyes... yes..."

By now, a group of students had circled around Rae and this man. They must've been wondering what the heck was going on, and why it was happening at school. One of them was Asha, who was only being held off by a guard.

Rae backed away from his touch and decided to go polite. "Can I be asking why you be looking for me?"

"I will be the one asking the questions, Miss. Casey." His footsteps echoed as he walked around her, peering carefully at everything. He seemed to have a habit of enunciating the first word of every sentence. "I believe we have been met before? Sir Wagner, at your service. Head of Security. At your father's—at what used to being his warehouse. Do you know he still be looking for a job? No one be hiring him!"

"We get along fine anyways," she said haughtily.

"Yes, I be having told you have... other sources of income." Here, he paused and whispered at the guards, who immediately sprung into action, breaking the lock on Rae's locker and ripping her bag off her back.

They looked through everything she owned, even the pockets on the back of her pants and almost pulling off her shirt. And all Rae could do was yell, "Hey! This not be legal!"

Now free from the guard, Asha almost lunged herself at Rae, except Rae shook her head. They had to keep up a good front. And even she, who hadn't cried since she was three was pushing back tears, trying to look incredulous.

"WHERE HAVE YOU HID THEM?" Sir Wagner shook Rae's collar as she tried to push him away. Mrs. Terracotta's pale face and red hair poked out of the classroom. Her hand flew to her mouth and for a second, it seemed she was on Rae's side. The next second, she had ducked back into the classroom, clearly not wanting to interfere with the law. With one final push, Rae flung Sir Wagner away.

Then it was all over. With one command, the guards stopped looking, leaving Rae's bag and school supplies strewn across the floor.

Sir Wagner scowled at Rae, making her feel as insignificant as a speck of dust. "We not be done with this, Miss. Casey. You are being watched, at all times."

He nodded to the guards, who started following him out. Their voices could still be heard even after they turned the corner: "She be hiding it somewhere else... We'll find them next time..."

Rae waited until the students dispersed, now having something new to whisper about, before the tears she had been holding back flooded down her cheeks, obscuring her vision. From the little she could see, she saw Asha run up to her and let Rae drop her head onto her shoulder.

"Aw, Rae, don't be crying. You owe me one."

"I owe you everything." She wiped away her tears, rubbing her eyes until they were red. "I'm scared."

"C'mon, Rae not be scared of anything."

"But I am. I'm scared of going to jail and you-you..." Tears welled up to the brim against her will.

"They be gone now." Asha took her hand, looking at her seriously.

"But they could come back. He did say we were being watched."

"Then we be kicking their butts again. C'mon, we should be cleaning this up."

Rae dropped to the ground beside Asha and they gathered up the little pieces and threw them into her bag. Her hands shook, and there seemed to be nothing she could do to stop it. After they had finished, Asha looked up at Rae's locker and frowned. "I think that thing be permenantly busted."

"Good." She sounded nonchalant. "I can just use yours."

Asha groaned. "Oh, that just be great. That be reminding me..."

Rae watched as Asha ran up to her locker, and making sure no one was watching her, took out the books and ran back. Rae took them from her and clutched them to her chest like they were her babies. On top of the pile was a book Rae had almost forgotten about: Lin's Diary.

Asha nodded at it. "I be noticing that. Interesting read?"

"Yes. Very." Rae dropped the books into her bag and got to her feet, still feeling woozy. "Are my eyes still red?"

Asha squinted at her face. "Yes. You be looking like the devil."

"Perfect." Rae followed Asha to class, like they did every day. But everything had changed.

"We're going to have to be careful from now on."

Asha attempted to smile, but it looked grim. "I know."
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A.N: Thank youuuu for reading! I really appreciate it. Make sure to vote and comment if you blah blah blah, you know the deal.

I'm probably the only one saying this but I can't wait to go back to schoollll. So bored 😐